Garment-stretcher.



No. fifil,274. Patantad Nov. 6, I900. A. PIEPER.-

GARMENT STRETCHER.

(Application filed Dec 20, 1899.)

(No Model.)

llwrrnn TATES ATET rrioni AUGUST PIEPER, OF GLOVERSVILLE, NEW YORK.

GARMENT-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 661,274, dated November6, 190i).

Application filed December 20, 1899. Serial No. 740,999. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST PIEPER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Gloversville, in the county ofFulton and State of New York,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Glove-Stretchers,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

In the use of glove-stretchers as ordinarily constructed there occurs alateral movement of the jaws with relation to each other as they areopened or parted, which is undesirable and which has a tendency tostretch the glovefingers in the wrong direction or out of shape. Thisdifficulty increases with the use of the device and as the hinge wearsloose. It is the object of my invention to remedy this difficulty, andto this end I interpose between the jaws and in advance of the hinge anindependent flat metallic blade or rib, which cooperates with the jawsthroughout their entire range of movement and insures the movement ofthe jaws in one and the same plane and without liability of relativelateral displacement. In the preferred construction the blade or rib hasone edge embedded in one of the jaws rigidly, and its projecting endworks in a kerf or groove in the other jaw, and said blade tapersupwardly toward the rear or hinge end of the jaw, so as to insure itsengagement with both jaws no matter how wide open they may be spread.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, in the severalfigures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure l is aperspective view with the jaws partly opened. Fig. 2is a longitudinalsection with the jaws fully opened. Fig. 3 is a transverse section takensubstantially in the plane of line 3 3, Fig. 1, looking toward the rearor right-hand side of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the bladeor rib detached.

The jaws a b may be of wood or other usual material in conventional formand provided with the handles 0 cl and connected by a hinge c, with aspring f interposed between the handles in the rear of the hinge andnormally tending to close the jaws a D. As to these features, they areall variable within the scope of my invention.

Forward of the hinge I provide in adjacent faces of the jaws the kerfsor grooves g and h, respectively, and within one of these kerfs orgrooves I secure a flat blade or rib 2' of metal, made in substantiallythe form shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 4-that is to say, of wedge shapein side view. This blade or rib may be made of any rigid material ofsufficient strength to prevent lateral displacement of the jaws in theuse of the stretcher. Onehalf, more or less, of this blade or rib isembedded in one of the jaws and the remainder projects above said jawand into the kerf or groove of the adjacent jaw. Said blade or rib maybe anchored in one of the jaws by means of the oppositelateral dentsj7:; before the jaw is finished.

It will be observed that the wider end of the wedge-like blade or rib isarranged next to the hinge, and the result of this arrange ment is thateven when the jaws are opened to their widest extent, as in Fig. 2,there is a sufi'icient engagement of the blade or rib with the jaws toinsure against lateral displacement of the jaws; but inasmuch as inoperation the jaws are spread apart only comparatively slightly, therewill be an engagement of both jaws with the blade or rib throughout thegreater part of its length, and hence in practice the lateral parting ordisplacement of the jaws is practically impossible and their Working inalinement or in the same plane is insured, and thus the glove may bestretched without liability of deformation.

It will be observed that the blade or rib is independent of thehinge-that is to say, forms no part thereofand is arranged in advance ofthe hinge and afiects that part of the stretcher where it is mostimportant to preserve alinement. No matter how loose the hinge may Wearthe blade or rib still retains the jaws in alinement.

WVhat I claim is-- l. A glove-stretcher, composed of compleinental jaws,a hinge for uniting them, and a wedge-shape flat-sided blade or ribinserted in a kerf or groove in one of the jaws in advance of the hingeand projecting into a kerf or groove in the other jaw, and in suchrelation to the pivot of the jaws as to be in constant engagement withthe walls of such kerf or groove in all positions of the two jaws, and

1 o dents and projecting above said jaw and into a kerf or groove in theopposite jaw, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day ofDecember, A, D. 1899.

AUGUST PIEPER.

Witnesses:

JAY PAUL, HENRY OKMOLEAN.

